Reading Books and Reading Minds: Differential Effects of Wonder and The Crossover on Empathy and Theory of Mind

We tested sixth graders for empathy and theory of mind before and after an academic unit on either Wonder or The Crossover. Wonder was associated with improved perspective-taking; students who read The Crossover increased in concern for others. Faux pas detection increased in both genders with Wonder, and in girls with The Crossover. Students who read The Crossover in print showed improved understanding of facial expressions, while students who used iPads declined. Young adult fiction is associated with improved social cognitive skills, but effects depend on gender and reading format, as well as on the choice of individual book

How to assess and manage hypertension during and after pregnancy.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are increasingly important complications of which clinicians should have an up-to-date knowledge to facilitate prompt recognition, diagnosis and management. These disorders affect a growing number of pregnancies worldwide, with incidence rates likely to increase in the future commensurate with increasing maternal age and maternal comorbidities independent of age, with consequent effects on maternal and fetal/neonatal morbidity and mortality rates. This article mainly focuses on management within the UK of these disorders, examining their current working definitions, detection methods and recent developments in screening tool development. The current NICE-recommended strategies for treating these disorders and minimizing their occurrence in pregnancy are also explored. In addition, the association between adverse pregnancy outcome and increased risk of future maternal and offspring cardiovascular disease is described, with comments on future strategies to help minimize these potential risks

The Wonder of empathy: Using Palacio’s novel to teach perspective-taking.

R. J. Palacio’s Wonder offers an engaging look at the challenges a child with facial deformities encounters when attending school for the first time. Told from multiple perspectives, the novel emphasizes kindness, acceptance of differences and the common anxieties associated with fitting into a social group. Narrative fiction has been shown to promote empathy and reduce stigmatization in both adults and children. We tested whether sixth grade students’ interpersonal skills changed after an academic unit that combined reading Wonder with traditional lessons in characterization, analysis and perspective, and an empathy-building activity led by a guidance counselor. Children improved on one specific empathy skill, perspective taking. Outcomes were identical in both genders, and unrelated to whether the children had previously read Wonder. This study highlights the practical benefits of literary study in developing both academic and social skills in the middle school grades

Cross-college collaboration: Communication opportunities with 2-D and 3-D technology

Recent research in global communication and CAD technologies indicates the need for improved communication through the development and use of CAD applications, namely within global supply chain management strategies (Easters, 2012). Additionally, direct communications and an individual’s abilities and skills contribute to the efficiency and success of the product lifecycle (Chen, Murray, & Jones, 2007). Critical areas for professional student preparation in the apparel and textile industries include oral and written communication, critical thinking and problem solving, decision making, marketing, and cooperative skills (Hyman & Hu, 2005). Therefore, this project investigates 2-D and 3-D design technological applications using social media as the communication between apparel design students in two geographic regions

Harry Potter and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual: Muggle Disorders in the Wizarding World

J.K. Rowling has created a wizarding world almost entirely devoid of mental health issues and treatment. Nonetheless, Harry Potter offers four clear representations of Muggle psychiatric disorders that match the official diagnostic criteria. The most obvious is dementor-induced depression and the ability of both chocolate and the Patronus Charm to neutralize their effects. Rowling shows familiarity with both the published symptoms of clinical depression and its treatment. The Patronus Charm, with its reliance on substituting positive memories for distressing ones, resembles cognitive behavior therapy, a treatment for depression Rowling herself received. The happy memories Harry uses to summon his Patronus are those of successful escapes and his social support network, both factors known to mitigate depression. Additionally, the incapacitation of Frank and Alice Longbottom resembles advanced dementia of Alzheimer’s type; their son Neville shows behavioral traits that might be expected both in the son of an Alzheimer’s patient and in a boy raised by a grandmother. Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody’s name and actions suggest he is a prototype of post-traumatic stress disorder, while Winky the house-elf embodies Stockholm syndrome. The sympathetic portrayal of characters with psychological disorders may enhance moral development and promote understanding of mental illness

Walking through and being with nature : an examination of meaning-making and human-environment interaction in two walking and solo experiences in UK wild places

According to Frumkin (2001), now more than ever before people need to reconnect with nature. Contact with nature is considered by many as crucial to mental health and wellbeing (Kellert & Wilson, 1993) and there are many ways in which these benefits can be accessed. Wilderness therapy is considered as a popular concept in the mental health field in the USA and Australia (Levine, 1994) and there are many different structured programmes that exist (Crisp, 1997), with similar potentials and outcomes. A review of the literature considers the purposes and meaning of terms like wilderness; mental health and wellbeing in the natural environment, particularly in a UK context; the features of structured outdoor programmes; and theories related to contact with nature. The aim of this research is to examine the relationship between humans and their environments, and what might be therapeutic in these relationships. The thesis seeks to explore the best way to work with the features of the natural environment, in order to identify the qualities that contribute to people's experiences. A custom-designed walking and solo experience (WSE), suited to UK conditions, is presented. Two WSE's were run, to explore university students' perceptions of walking through and being with the environment. The first was a five day journey (n=4; 3 females and 1 male) and the second (n=5; 3 females and 2 males) consisted of the same elements and number of days, but took place over two weekends; with a two week interval in-between. Participants' perspectives were gathered from pre- and post-experience interviews, journal writing, group discussions and a nine month follow-up interview. A thematic analytic approach was taken to analyse the data. Both WSEs were considered together in analysis, but comparisons were made so as to evaluate implications for practice. As one of few UK-based studies on experiences of outdoor structured experiences, this research makes a valuable and essential contribution. Considerations of the WSE structure of the two studies are discussed and suggestions are made for alternative approaches to this kind of research. It infers that if time and cost allow, a longer five consecutive day WSE is better, but using weekends may still be effective. A good balance should also be sought between group and solo elements as the latter aspect was reported to be more beneficial for these two groups

A scoping review of the current literature exploring the nature of the horse-human relationship

Objective: To perform a scoping review of the current evidence on the horse-human relationship.Background: The horse-human relationship has a significant impact on how horse owners care for and make decisions for their horse.Evidentiary value: Identification of consensus and gaps in current evidence.Methods: A literature search was performed in CAB Abstracts and Medline using search terms relating to the nature of the horse-human relationship in horses used for pleasure riding. Publications were reviewed against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Original qualitative or observational research studies relating to the relationship between a horse and owner were analysed. Data were extracted on study method and population characteristics.Results: There were 4,481 studies identified; 27 studies were included in the final data extraction. The studies covered 11 different areas, the most frequent were effect of humans on equine behaviour (5/27), equine training methods and behaviour (4/27) and horses within sport and leisure (4/27). A range of methodologies were used, with the most frequent being thematic analysis (6/27 studies), use of an instrument, tool or scale (3/27) and behavioural scoring (4/27). The majority of studies considered the human’s perspective (20/27), six considered the horse perspective and one considered both the horse and human perspective. No studies investigated the same or similar aims or objectives.Conclusion: The current evidence on the horse-human relationship is diverse and heterogenous, which limits the strength of evidence for any particular area.Application: Future research should focus on developing reliable and repeatable tools to assess owner motivations and horse-human relationship, to develop a body of evidence

Body mass and latitude as global predictors of vertebrate populations exposure to multiple threats

The interactive effects of multiple threats are one of the main causes of biodiversity loss, yet our understanding of what predisposes species to be impacted by multiple threats remains limited. Here we analyse a global dataset of over 7000 marine, freshwater, and terrestrial vertebrate populations, alongside trait, threat and geographical data, to identify the factors influencing the number of threats a species is subjected to at the population level. Out of a suite of predictors tested, we find that body mass and latitude both are broadly available for vertebrate species, and influence the number of threats a population is subjected to. Larger bodied species and those nearer the equator are typically affected by a higher number of threats. However, whilst this pattern broadly holds across ecosystems for most taxa, amphibians and reptiles show opposing trends. We suggest that latitude and body mass should be considered as key predictors to identify which vertebrate populations are likely to be impacted by multiple threats. These general predictors can help to better understand the impacts of the Anthropocene on global vertebrate biodiversity and design effective conservation policies